Head-on crash kills 7-year-old as driver tries illegally passing, Oregon cops say
A 7-year-old boy died after a wreck in northern Oregon caused by unlawful passing, police said.
The boy was a passenger in a Honda CRV driven by a 34-year-old man from Spokane, Washington, the Oregon State Police said in an April 7 news release. The Honda’s driver tried to pass a commercial vehicle in a no-passing zone on a highway and hit a Volkswagen Atlas head-on, police said.
The 7-year-old was airlifted from the scene but later pronounced dead, police said. His name wasn’t released.
The Honda’s driver and another young passenger, a 4-year-old boy, were seriously hurt and were taken to a hospital, police said.
The 45-year-old driver of the Volkswagen and his 46-year-old and 15-year-old passengers, all from Pendleton, also were seriously hurt and were taken to a hospital, police said.
The wreck happened at about 9 p.m. April 4 on Highway 97 in Wasco County, according to police.
Wasco County includes The Dalles, which is about an 85-mile drive east from Portland.
This story was originally published April 9, 2025 at 10:24 AM with the headline "Head-on crash kills 7-year-old as driver tries illegally passing, Oregon cops say."
.JPG)